How many horse movies can be made and still attract an audience? A more recent film that comes to mind is "Seabiscuit," which had a strong cast and did well at the box office. Along the same lines, "Wildfire" garnered decent reviews and drew in surprisingly high ratings during its network run. Can the same be true for "Dreamer," the latest in a long line of horse tales? Everyone will soon find out.

"Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story" is the directorial debut for John Gatins, whose previous work includes penning the recent blockbuster "Coach Carter" and playing the role of "Smiling man" in "Varsity Blues." The film boasts a promising cast of both seasoned and lesser-known actors in atypical roles.

"Dreamer" presents a very different side of the horseracing industry than what is usually portrayed in film. Among the wealthy and expansive horse farms of Lexington, Kentucky lives the Crane family. There, Cale Crane (Dakota Fanning, "War of the Worlds") lives with her horse trainer father (Kurt Russell, "Miracle") and waitress mother (Elizabeth Shue, "Hide and Seek"). Cale longs to be part of her father's world of horses and racing, but when he finally takes her along to a race, disaster strikes.

Kurt Russell puts forth a solid performance as Ben Crane, a fairly serious guy who carries a number of burdens but is incredibly gifted with horses. When his employer refuses his advice and a racehorse goes down, his temper costs him his job. What he is left with is a mortgage and Sonya, a horse with a broken leg.

With little hope in place for the injured animal, everyone except spunky Cale and her grandfather (Kris Kristofferson, "Blade: Trinity") begin to lose hope. Spirits lift, though, when a long shot idea begins to formulate. Cale's love for and belief in Sonya inspire her father; possibly because they are some of his own traits, and cause him take a crazy course of action. He takes Sonya's papers and puts 51 percent of her under Cale's name, making her the owner.

There is conceivable doubt in Sonya's racing chances, having broken her leg in a very crucial place. Ben Crane, taking a huge chance, allows his daughter to call the shots regarding the horse. The film spends an ample amount of time portraying the overwhelming obstacles encountered and overcome by the Cranes and their beloved horse.

This is a moving and inspirational story with only one problem: the misleading words in the title, "Inspired by a True Story." It is surprising to learn that the key word in this phrase is "inspired", meaning the actual horse portrayed never existed. This, however, does not detract from the experience or the actual story that is told.

"Dreamer" is a well-crafted, though slightly predictable, tale of a relationship between a horse and a child and the power faith and dedication can have over any given situation. Admittedly, it is nice to see a "feel-good" movie every once in a while.

It's especially refreshing to see a film that isn't laden with romance or violence, instead offering something appropriate for all ages. Both children and adults will enjoy this movie — and they won't have to be horse lovers to do so.

Grade: B